"Soon as you touch the phone I don't need to keep my promise and can come inside. You won't want that” (Oates 7). This is an excerpt from the short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” This story is from Joyce Carol Oates, written about a 15-year-old girl, Connie, and Arnold Friend whom this paper is about. From what the reader can determine from the text, Arnold Friend is a man that has been stalking Connie, for a while now. Not only is he a stalker, but he also alters his appearance to make him perceived as younger. He is a deceptive character with manipulative tactics. One of the biggest tactics of Arnold Friend is his deception with clothing. We can infer that he uses his clothes to make himself appear younger. At the beginning of the story, Connie noticed some things about his clothes and appearance. Connie starts by noticing his sunglasses in this line. “Connie blushed a little, because the glasses made it impossible for her to see just what this boy was looking at” (Oates 3). …show more content…
“Connie, you ain't telling the truth. This is your day set aside for a ride with me and you know it” (Oates 4). His tone switches and it turns more aggressive. He’s trying to convince her of things that aren't true, in an attempt to scare her into acting upon them. He’s trying to manipulate her so that she does what he wants. He wants her to come into his car so that he can do things for her. His tactics with her are more lustful than really threatening her. “Now, what you're going to do is this: you're going to come out that door…You're my date. I'm your lover, honey” (Oates 6). In this quote, he is talking to Connie in a very manipulative way trying to convince her that he is safe. He is trying to scare her and make an attempt for her to trust him. He is using terms like, “lover” and “honey”. These show his fascination with her and that he has impure
In the beginning, he mentions his last name, Friend, which is possibly not his real name, to indicate that he is friendly. He often calls Connie “honey” and “sweetheart” throughout their conversation. He gives flattering comments, such as, “You’re cute”(1144). He understands that Connie is a young teenager who can be easily impressed by these comments. Moreover, the tone of Arnold’s voice, as described by the author is as follows, “He spoke in a simple lilting voice, exactly as if he were reciting the words to a song.
Although, the young girl believes that she has the ability to win him over, considering the fact that he’s still a married man. “I hope it is your last hypocrisy. I pray you will come again with with sweeter news for me. I know you will- now that your duties done.” (Miller 152).
Drew Dillon Juan Espinoza EN102 23 February 2023 Arnold is Not Your Friend In the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” By Joyce Carol Oates, the author presents the reader with a very dark tale featuring themes of predator versus prey, corruption versus innocence, and freedom versus control. The character Arnold Friend at first appears to be a charmer, thanks to his actions and statements made within the story we are able to eventually see his true nature as a a manipulative and evil predator, preying and corrupting the innocencne of the 15 year old protagonist, Connie. Arnold Friend is introduced into the story when Connie has declined an outing with her parents and she is home alone.
“He wasn’t tall, only an inch or so taller than she would be if she came down to him … his face was a familiar face, somehow: the jaw chin and cheeks slightly darkened, because he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, and the nose long and hawk –like” (in “Where
I'm your lover, honey." (Oates 6). Arnold says this assertively, almost as if he is confident enough that Connie is under his manipulation, and will listen to his every command. This feeds into Arnold’s ego and power trip, giving him the idea that he is the one in control. When examining Arnold’s words closely, one begins to notice the vague misogyny, such as Arnold stating to Connie that ‘you’re my date, [and he is her] lover, honey’.
He emphasizes that he wants to take her out, and
Home is where the heart is, but what if home is no longer safe? Joyce Carol Oates explores this concept in her 1966 short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”. On surface level, this story appears to discuss a rebellious young girl named Connie and her confrontation with Arnold Friend, a stalker. The ending leaves the reader to assume that Arnold Friend plans to sexually assault the young girl.
Connie mentions that he is dressed like all the rest of her aged boys which leads the reader to believe Arnold did this intentionally to deceive Connie. Body language plays an immense part on Connie, as Arnold performs his unsettling gazes at her. The first being with his sunglasses on. Connie thinks to herself how she cannot see where his eyes are actually looking. This adds to the feeling of danger that fills Connie’s head.
The strongest villain we have encountered in literature thus far is Arnold Friend. Premiering in Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where are you going, where have you been,” Arnold Friend is inspired by a true story. In 1960, there was a man that preyed on young girls in Arizona, later called the “Pied Piper of Tucson.” Although this man wore obviously fake makeup and clothes, he befriended the young teenage girls with his charm and sweet talk. Similar to the real man, Arnold Friend is a character that talks his way out of every question he is asked by everyone. Arnold Friend is a man of deception, hiding behind his disguise as a teenage boy, whose charisma allows him to get what he wants.
In her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", Joyce Carol Oates utilizes a variety of literary devices to strengthen the story in its entirety. This short story is essentially about a 16-year-old girl named Connie and the conflict between her desire to be mature and her desire to remain an adolescent. Throughout the story, the audience sees this conflict through her words in addition to through her behavior. The audience is also introduced to Arnold Friend, a rather peculiar man, who essentially kidnaps her. This short story by Joyce Carol Oates functions and is additionally meaningful because of her usage of literary devices.
In the short story, “Where are You Going, Where have You Been?,” Joyce Carol Oates provides an account of a typical fifteen-year-old girl whose days are spent disregarding her parents, hanging out with her friends, and daydreaming about boys. That is, until she meets Arnold Friend. The story takes an unexpected turn soon after the ironically named character is introduced. Eventually, Arnold Friend’s cunning deception leads to Connie’s unanticipated demise.
Carol Joyce Oates’ “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?” presents how falling into temptation leads to giving up control and innocence. Though her mother is unapproving of her actions, Connie spends her time seeking attention from male strangers. Home alone, Connie is approached by a compelling creature who convinces her to leave her life and join him on his unknown journey. Through disapproving her family, having multiple appearances, listening to music, and her desperation to receive attention from boys, Connie gives up control of herself losing the purity of adolescents and contributing to her detrimental fate. It is imperative that one should not be controlled because of a desire to impress others.
He knew her name even though she had only quickly glimpsed at him the night prior with no communication from her at all. He knows where her parents are, what they are doing, how long they will be, how they look he even knows who her best friends are. Essentially Arnold Friend is the very essence of nightmare to Connie he is everything she is afraid of. He pressures her in to a situation out of her control. He takes away her pride of rejecting people and forces her to choose her family being hurt of facing her demons and going with him.
He wants to tell that he is so in love with the woman until what he wants is more than everything he
In fact, his antics of trying to impress was getting on her nerves. If he could see what was underneath her mask it wouldn’t be the same story. He said things like, “You're beautiful,” or “I can't believe I didn’t meet you earlier.” She had to look away because his ignorance was laughable and she couldn't help but pull an evil smile.